Method for detecting an irregularity in valve-timing changeover in an engine

ABSTRACT

A method for detecting an irregularity in the valve-timing changeover in an engine having a valve operating mechanism capable of operating the intake valves or exhaust valves, or both, in a different manner, known as valve timing, such as the magnitude of valve lift or the duration the valve remains open, for improving the operation of the engine at different engine speeds. The method compares the oil pressure in the supply passage to the valve timing changeover mechanism with the oil pressure that should exist after the changeover caused by the latest instruction to determine an irregularity if the pressures are not equal. A time delay may be used to accommodate the inherent time lay in the changeover to avoid a premature determination of an irregularity. An alarm may be energized or a fail-safe procedure initiated when an irregularity is detected.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a control method for detecting an irregularityin the valve-timing changeover for internal combustion engines that haveselectable modes of valve-timing operation.

There has been known heretofore from the Japanese Examined PatentApplication Publication No. Tokkosho 49-33289 an engine in which a camshaft provided with a high-speed cam and a low-speed cam is shifted inthe axial direction by activating cylinder operation to change overvalve timing as desired between a low-speed valve timing at which theintake and exhaust valves are opened and closed by the low-speed cam anda high-speed valve timing at which the intake and exhaust valves areopened and closed by the high-speed cam wherein the changeover of thevalve timing is made by opening and closing operation of valve meansthat control charging oil to and discharging oil from the activatingcylinders.

When a hydraulically operated changeover mechanism is used to changeover the valve timing as described in the foregoing, sometimes the valvemeans is not able to provide the predetermined hydraulic pressurechanges as expected when instructed to open or close due to sticking ofthe valve means caused by foreign material clinging thereto or oilleakage or the like, with the result that the valve timing is notchanged over normally. It therefore is desirable that a fail-safearrangement be provided to cope with such a situation which arrangementmay including, for example, an alarm to give out a warning, a signal todecrease fuel supply or invalidate the control action for changeover ofthe valve timing, or the like.

It is, therefore, an object of t he present invention to provide anirregularity-detecting method for accomplishing a desirable fail-safecontrol in a valve-timing changeover mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides anirregularity-detecting method for a variable valve-timing type engine inwhich valve timing for at least one of either the intake valves or theexhaust valves in the engine is changed over by a hydraulically operatedchange-over mechanism, which method includes the steps of: detecting bya hydraulic pressure detecting means an oil pressure in an oil supplyingpassage for supplying oil to the changeover mechanism; making acomparison between an open/close command or instruction given out to avalve means to control oil supplied to the oil supplying passage andsignals representing the oil pressure detected by said hydraulicpressure detecting means; and determining through said comparison anirregularity in the valve timing changeover.

The valve timing changeover herein refers to changing one or both of thevalve-open duration and valve-lift amount. The valve timing changeoverreferred to herein also an arrangement in a multi-valve engine whereinany one of a plurality of intake or exhaust valves for each cylinder ofthe engine is closed and disabled according to the operating conditionof the engine.

When the oil pressure is not changed in accordance with an open-closeinstruction given to the valve means due to sticking or oil leakage ofthe valve means, such is detected and determined as an irregularity inthe valve timing changeover operation, so that a desirable fail-safeoperation is performed.

There is a slight time lag between the time when an instruction to openor close the valve means is given and the time when the oil pressure isactually changed in response to the instruction due to a naturalresponse delay of the valve means and duct-line resistance. In suchcase, if whether or not the valve timing changeover is being carried outnormally is determined only after a lapse of a predetermined timefollowing the giving of the instruction to open or close the valvemeans, an erroneous fail-safe operation due to such time lag can beprevented when the valve timing changeover is being carried outnormally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the components of an internalcombustion engine and controls for describing the method of the presentinvention applied to that engine;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a valve timing changeovermechanism for operating in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the characteristic curves for fuel injectionquantities set for the high-speed valve timing and the low-speed valvetiming;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the portion encircled in the diagram ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the Ti_(VT) table;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the valve timing changeover characteristics;

FIG. 7, comprising FIGS. 7A and 7B, is a flowchart of the valve timingchangeover control routine;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the subroutine for retrieval of the Ti_(L) mapand the Ti_(H) map;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the subroutine for calculation of TiVT; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the subroutine for determining a valve timingchangeover irregularity and for accomplishing a fail safe control of thevalve timing changeover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, an engine body 1 is diagrammatically shown and hasan intake passage 2 and an exhaust passage 3. The intake passage 2 isprovided with an air cleaner 4, a throttle valve 5 and an injector 6 inthat order from the upstream side. The quantity of fuel injection madethrough said injector 6 is variably controlled by an electronic controlcircuit 7. This engine is of the electronically controlled fuelinjection type.

The engine to be described in connection with this example of thepresent invention is a double overhead cam (DOHC), in-line four-cylinderengine having a pair of intake and a pair of exhaust valves for eachcylinder. As shown in FIG. 2, the engine is provided with a valveoperating mechanism 8i at the intake valve side and another valveoperating mechanism 8e at the exhaust valve side for causing theseintake and exhaust valves to open and close.

Both of the valve mechanisms 8i and 8e are basically of the sameconstruction, so that a detailed explanation will be made only of theintake side valve mechanism hereinbelow. Note that both of said valvemechanisms are assigned the same symbols and reference numerals fortheir corresponding parts.

The intake-side valve mechanism 8i includes a rocker shaft 9 for theintake valves; a pair of driving rocker arms 10, 11 pivotally supportedon the rocker shaft 9 for driving a pair of the intake valves of eachcylinder and a free rocker arm 12 located intermediately between saidpair of driving rocker arms 10, 11 and also pivotally supported on saidrocker shaft 9. The driving rocker arms 10, 11 are engaged by alow-speed cam formed on a cam shaft for the intake valves and the freerocker arm 12 is engaged by a high-speed cam formed on the cam shaft. Achangeover mechanism 13 is provided by which both the driving rockerarms 10, 11 are detachably connected to the free rocker arm 12. In thisarrangement, when the driving rocker arms 10, 11 are disconnected fromthe free rocker arm 12, the intake valves are operated to open and closewith a low-speed valve timing by which the valve-open duration and thevalve-lift amount are made relatively smaller by means of the low-speedcam. On the other hand, when these arms are connected to each other,through free rocker arm 12, the intake valves are operated at ahigh-speed valve timing by which the valve-open duration and thevalve-lift amount are relatively larger.

The changeover mechanism 13 includes a first connecting pin 13a slidablemounted in the first rocker arm 10 and which can be engaged with anddisengaged from the free rocker arm 12, a second connecting pin 13bslidable mounted in the free rocker arm 12 and which can be engaged withand disengaged from the second driving rocker arm 11, and a restrictionpin 13d urged towards the free rocker arm 12 by a spring 13 inserted inthe second driving rocker arm 11. The first driving rocker arm 10 isprovided with a hydraulic chamber 13e for supplying an oil pressure tourge the first connecting pin 13a towards the free rocker arm 12. Thehydraulic chamber 13e is in communication with an oil supplying passage14 formed in the rocker shaft 9. When the hydraulic chamber 13e ischarged with a hydraulic oil through the oil-supplying passage 14, thefirst connecting pin 13a becomes engaged with the free rocker arm 12and, pushed by the first connecting pin 13a, the second connecting pin13b becomes engaged with the second driving rocker arm 11, so that boththe driving rocker arms 10, 11 and the free rocker arm 12 are connectedto each other to change the valve timing to a high-speed valve timing.On the other hand, when the oil pressure in the hydraulic chamber 13e islowered, the second and the first connecting pins 13b and 13a are urgedin the opposite direction by the spring 13c through the restriction pin13d and thus pushed back into the free rocker arm 12 and the firstdriving rocker arm 10, respectively, so as to disconnect both of thedriving rocker arms 10, 11 from the free rocker arm 12 and change thevalve timing to a low-speed valve timing.

An oil passage 15 for supplying oil from an oil pump (not shown) isconnected to the aforementioned oil supplying passage 14 through achangeover valve 16 attached to an end portion of the cylinder head.When the spool type valve body 16a of the changeover valve 16 ispositioned at the upper (closed) position, an inlet port 16b whichcommunicates with the oil passage 15 through an oil filter 17 and anoutlet port 16c which communicates with the oil supplying passage 14 maycommunicate with each other only through an orifice 16d. At this time,the outlet port 16c is also in communication with a drain port 16e whichopens into an upper space in the cylinder head with the result that theoil pressure in the oil supplying passage 14 decreases. When the spooltype valve body 16a is shifted to the lower (open) position, the inletport 16b and the outlet port 16c are in communication with each otherthrough an annular groove provided in the spool type valve body 16awhile the outlet port 16c becomes disconnected from the drain port 16e,so that the oil pressure in the oil supplying passage 14 is increased.

The spool type valve body 16a is arranged such that the changeoverthereof to the open position is carried out against the urging force ofa spring 16f by pilot pressure inputted to the top of the valve body 16athrough a pilot oil passage 18 branching out from the inlet port 16b.The pilot oil passage 18 is provided with a normally closed typeelectromagnetic valve 19. An electric current to energize the solenoid19a of the electromagnetic valve 19 is controlled by output signal VTSfrom the electronic control circuit 7 as shown in FIG. 1. When theelectromagnetic valve 19 is opened upon the energization of the solenoid19a, the spool type valve body 16a is moved to its open position by oilpressure applied to the top of the spool type valve body 16a so that thevalve timing is changed over to a high-speed one as described in theforegoing. When the electric current energizing the solenoid 19a isstopped to close the electromagnetic valve 19, the spool type valve body16a is moved to the closed position by the spring 16f and oil pressurein port 16b so that the valve timing is changed over to a low-speed one.

In addition, in order to confirm the changeover operation of the spooltype valve body 16a, there is provided on the housing 16g for thechangeover valve 16 a hydraulic switch 20 that detects oil pressure atthe outlet port 16c and turns on when the detected oil pressure is lowand turns off when the detected oil pressure is high.

A lubricant passage 21 is provided for the valve mechanism, a separatelubricant passage 22 is provided for the high-speed valve timingoperation of the valve mechanism, and a cam holder 23 is also providedwith lubrication. The valve timing changeover means and oil passagearrangement described above are not particularly different from thosedisclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Registration Application No.Jitsugan Sho 63-82588 filed on June 22, 1988 by the applicants of thepresent patent application and is not part of the present inventionwhereby any further detailed explanation thereof is omitted.

Inputted into the electronic control circuit 7 are engine revolutionspeed (Ne) signals from an engine revolution speed sensor (not shown),throttle opening-degree (Θ th) signals from a throttle opening sensor24, intake negative pressure (P_(B)) signals and intake air temperature(TA) signals from a pressure sensor 25 and a temperature sensor 26,respectively, both of which are connected to the intake passage 2downstream of the throttle valve 5, water temperature (TW) signals froma water temperature sensor 27, vehicle speed (V) signals from a vehiclespeed sensor (not shown), signals from the aforesaid hydraulic switch20, and O₂ signals from an oxygen concentration sensor 28 provided inthe exhaust passage 3 and, in case of an automatic transmission car,additionally, parking (P) and neutral (N) signals from a shift leverposition switch (not shown). Based on the operating condition determinedfrom these signals, an appropriate fuel injection quantity is calculatedand a suitable valve timing selected.

A determination of the fuel injection quantity is by the followingequation:

    Tout=K.sub.1 Ti+K.sub.2

where Tout stands for fuel injection quantity, Ti for standard fuelinjection quantity, K₁ for correction factor, and K₂ for constant term.It should be noted that K₁ used herein may include: an intaketemperature correction factor K_(TA) by which the fuel injectionquantity is increased when the intake temperature and/or the watertemperature are low; a high-load fuel increase factor K_(WOT) by whichthe fuel injection quantity is increased in a prescribed high-loadregion determined by the water temperature correction factor K_(TW), Ne,P_(B) and a Θ th; and a feedback correction factor KO₂ by which adeviation of the air/fuel (A/F) ratio from the theoretical value of A/Fratio in an O₂ feedback region with a comparatively low enginerevolution speed (say, 4,000 rpm or lower) is corrected, while K₂includes a fuel increase constant for acceleration by which the fuelinjection quantity is increased during acceleration of a car.

The standard fuel injection quantity Ti is set in such a manner that anintake mixture, in combination with a quantity of air intake into acylinder in a particular operating condition of the engine determined byNe and PB, may provide a desired A/F ratio close to the desiredtheoretical value of A/F ratio. Two sets of Ti maps, one for thelow-speed valve timing and the other for the high-speed valve timing,are prepared and stored in the electronic control circuit 7.

In FIG. 3, the Ti value in the Ti map for the low-speed valve timing isindicated by a solid line curve while the Ti value in the Ti map for thehigh-speed valve timing is indicated by a dotted line curve. As is clearfrom FIG. 3, the intake air quantity which is related to Ti tends tolevel off with the increase of Ne at the low-speed valve timing. On theother hand, at the high-speed valve timing, the intake air quantitykeeps on increasing further to eventually surpass that at the low-speedvalve timing as the charging efficiency increases with the increase ofNe, so that the Ti value for the low-speed valve timing and that for thehigh-speed valve timing coincide with each other at some point on thecurves for each intake pressure. At this point, the air intake quantityis the same whether at the low-speed or high-speed valve timing and sois the A/F ratio. Therefore, the engine output is also practically thesame at this point.

The charging efficiency subtly fluctuates with the change of Ne. Thisfluctuation becomes more conspicuous in the range approaching the pointat which the throttle opening (Θ th) is fully open so that, as shown inFIG. 4, the Ti value for the low-speed valve timing and that for thehigh-speed valve timing become equal to each other at a plurality ofpoints. As will be discussed later, when the valve timing is changedover at one of these points where the Ti value for the low-speed valvetiming and that for the high-speed valve timing become equal to eachother, the valve timing changeover is more likely to cause a hunting,especially in the range where the throttle opening is large, thusadversely affecting durability of the changeover mechanism 13.

In the high-load region, the mixture is enriched according to theabove-mentioned high-load fuel increase factor K_(WOT). Since a higheroutput can be brought about with the high-speed valve timing in thishigh-load region, a high-load determinant reference value T_(VT) basedon the fuel injection quantity is experimentally obtained as shown inFIG. 5. A T_(VT) value corresponding to Ne is calculated from a T_(VT)table and when Tout is greater than T_(VT), the valve timing is changedover to the high-speed valve timing will be explained later. In such acase, if it is prearranged such that the Tout≧T_(VT) region includesregions in which, as discussed in the foregoing, the Ti values for thelow speed valve timing and the high-speed valve timing become equal toeach other, the above mentioned hunting occurring with changeover of thevalve timing can be prevented. A T_(VT) table applicable to an automatictransmission vehicle is different from that applicable to a manualvehicle.

In order to prevent an over-revolution speed of the engine, fuel is cutwhen Ne exceeds the revolution limiter value N_(HFC). If a load actingon the timing belt is considered in this connection, it can be seen thatthe shorter the valve-open duration is, the greater the acceleration ofthe valve opening operation and, as a result, the load on the timingbelt becomes greater, while the revolution speed Ne which causes a valvejump becomes lower due to an increase in the valve acceleration rate.Therefore, an allowable revolution speed of the engine should bedifferent between the low-speed valve timing in which the valve-openduration is shorter and the high-speed valve timing in which thevalve-open duration is longer, so that in this example the revolutionlimiter value is set at a comparatively low one N_(HFC1) (for example,7500 rpm) for the low-speed valve timing and at a comparatively high oneN_(HFC2) for example, 8100 rpm) for the high-speed valve timing.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, explanation will now be made of valve timingchangeover characteristics. In FIG. 6, the solid-line curve shows thechangeover characteristics observed when the valve timing is changedover from the low-speed valve timing to the high-speed valve timing,while the dotted-line curve shows the changeover characteristicsobserved when changed over in the opposite way.

A valve timing changeover is performed in a region of the enginerevolution speeds ranging between the lower-limit engine revolutionspeed Ne1 at which the engine output obtained with the low-speed valvetiming always exceeds that obtained with the high-speed valve timing andthe upper-limit engine revolution speed Ne2 at which the engine outputobtained with the high-speed valve timing always exceeds that obtainedwith the low-speed valve timing. In this example of the presentinvention, the valve timing changeover from the low-speed one to thehigh-speed one and vice versa are so set as to have a hysteresis; forexample, Ne1 set at 4800 rpm/4600 rpm and Ne2 at 5900 rpm/5700 rpm.

In FIG. 6, the region or range represented by X is one in which thevalve timing changeover is performed through comparison of T_(VT) withTout while the region or range denoted by Y is one in which the valvetiming changeover is performed through a comparison made between a Tivalue in the Ti map (hereinafter referred to as Ti_(L) map) for thelow-speed valve timing and a Ti value in the Ti map (hereinafterreferred to as Ti_(H) map) for the high-speed valve timing. Since thechangeover characteristic in the X region is affected also by parametersother than Ne and P_(B) having much to do with the calculation of Tout,it can not be shown exactly in a graph such as FIG. 6 in which thehorizontal axis represents Ne and the vertical axis represents P_(B),whereby the graph shown therein is only for illustration purposes.

Next, referring to FIG. 7, we will now explain the control accomplishedby the electronic control circuit 7 of the valve timing changeover, thatis, the control program for the output of the signal VTS to theelectromagnetic valve 19. A step-1 is one for determining whether or notsignals from the respective sensors are being normally inputted into theelectronic control circuit 7 or, in other words, one for determiningwhether to start a fail safe operation. A step-2 is one for determiningwhether or not the engine is being started and a step-3 is one fordetermining whether or not the remainder time t_(ST) of the delay timerhas elapsed to 0. A time setting for t_(ST) (e.g. 5 seconds) isperformed in a step-4 during the engine starting so that the timingoperation may start after the start of the engine. A step-5 is one fordetermining whether or not the water temperature TW is lower than thepreset one TW1 (for instance, 60° C.), that is, whether or not thewarming up of the engine has been achieved. A step-6 is one fordetermining whether or not the vehicle speed V is lower than the presetlowest vehicle speed VI (for instance, 8 km/5 km per hour with ahysteresis), a step-7 is for determining whether or not it is a manualtransmission vehicle (MT), a step-8 is for determining, in case of anautomatic transmission vehicle (AT), whether the shift lever is set atthe parking (P) position or the neutral (N) position, and a step 9 isfor determining whether or not Ne is greater than the above mentionedlower-limit value Ne1, so that when the fail-safe operation is going onor the engine is being started or the time preset with the delay timerhas not elapsed as yet after the start of the engine, or the warming upof the engine is going on, or the vehicle is parked or running at a slowspeed, or the shift gear is set at P or N position, or Ne is smallerthan Ne, the electromagnetic valve 19 is closed to hold the valve timingset at the low-speed valve timing as will be explained later.

When it is determined at the step-9 that the Ne≧Ne1 the Ti_(L) map andthe Ti_(H) map are retrieved at a step-10 in order to obtain a Ti valuein the Ti_(L) map (said value being hereinafter referred to as Ti_(L))and a Ti value in the Ti_(H) map (said value being hereinafter referredto as Ti_(H)) which correspond to the current Ne and P_(B). Then, in anext step-11, a T_(VT) corresponding to Ne is calculated from the T_(VT)table. In a step-12 this T_(VT) is compared with Tout obtainedpreviously (that is, Tout obtained in the immediately preceding round ofoperation) to determine whether or not Tout≧T_(VT), that is, todetermine whether it is in the high-load condition in which the mixtureis enriched. When it is found Tout is smaller than T_(VT), the programis advanced to step-13 for determining whether Ne is higher than theaforementioned upper-limit value Ne₂ or not. If it is found that Ne issmaller than Ne₂, the program is advanced to a step-14 to compare Ti_(L)and Ti_(H) with each other, both of which have been obtained at thestep-10 and, if Ti_(L) is larger than Ti_(H) (Ti_(L) >Ti_(H)), a commandor instruction to close the electromagnetic valve 19 is given out at astep-15, said instruction being tantamount to one to change over thevalve timing to the low-speed valve timing. When Tout≧T_(VT), Ne≧Ne₂, orTi_(L) ≦Ti_(H), a command or instruction to open the electromagneticvalve 19, that is, an instruction to change over the valve timing to thehigh-speed valve timing, is given in a step-16. Further, when aninstruction to open the valve 19 in the step-15 has been given, it isdetermined at a step-17 whether or not the hydraulic switch 20 has beenturned on, that is, whether or not the oil pressure in the oil supplyingpassage 14 has been reduced to a low level. When the hydraulic switch 20has been turned on, whether or not the remainder time t_(LVT) for thelow-speed valve timing changeover delay timer has been reduced to 0 isdetermined at a step-19. When it is found that t_(LVT) =0, the remaindertime t_(HVT) for the high-speed valve timing changeover delay timer isset to a predetermined time (for example, 0.1 sec.) at a step-21. Next,at a step-23, a selection processing is performed to select the Ti_(L)map as the Ti map for use with a fuel injection control routine, and theignition timing map for the low-speed valve timing (Θ igL map) as anignition timing map, respectively. Then, at a step-25, a processing isperformed so as to turn the revolution limiter value N_(HFC) to thevalue N_(HFC1) for the low-speed valve timing.

When the instruction to open the valve 19 has been given at the step-16,it is determined at a step-18 whether or not the hydraulic switch 20 isturned off, that is, to determine whether or not the oil pressure in theoil supplying passage 14 has increased to a higher level. When thehydraulic switch 20 has been turned off, it is at a step-20 in whichwhether or not the remainder time t_(HVT) for the high-speed valvetiming changeover delay timer has been reduced to 0. If it is found thatt_(HVT) =0, the remainder time t_(LVT) for the low-speed valve timingchangeover delay timer is set to a predetermined time (for example, 0.2second) at a step-22. Next, at a step-24, a selection process isperformed to select the Ti_(H) map as the Ti map for use with the fuelinjection control routine, and the ignition timing map for thehigh-speed valve timing (Θ igH) as an ignition timing map, respectively.Then, at a step-26, a process is performed to turn the revolutionlimiter value N_(HFC) to the value N_(HFC2) for the high-speed valvetiming.

The time set for each of the changeover delay timers described in theforegoing is predetermined from the response delay time for thechangeover mechanism 13 of each cylinder to complete the requiredchangeover operation as a result of the oil pressure change in the oilsupplying passage 14. When the electromagnetic valve is changed overfrom the open position to the closed position, the program advances inorder of step-17, step-20, step-22, step-24 and step-26 until thehydraulic switch 20 is turned on. Even with switch 20 turned on, theprogram is advanced in order of step-17, step-19, step-24, and step-26until the changeover mechanism 13 of each cylinder has been changed tothe low-speed valve timing mode of operation. Furthermore, when thechangeover valve 16 is not moved to its closed position, even with aninstruction to close the valve due to a malfunction of theelectromagnetic valve 19 or the changeover valve 16, with the resultthat the hydraulic switch 20 remains unable to turn on no matter howlong of a waiting period is allowed, the program is then advancedsimilarly in order of step-17, step-20, step-22, step-24, and step-26 asin the foregoing, indicating that unless the changeover mechanism 13 ofeach of the cylinders has been turned to the low-speed valve timingside, the fuel injection remains controlled to be suitable for thehigh-speed valve timing. When the electromagnetic valve 19 is changedover from the closed position to the open position, the fuel injectionshould remain controlled to be suitable for the low-speed valve timingin a like manner, as described above, unless the changeover mechanism 13of each of the cylinders has been set to the high-speed valve timingmode of operation.

Also, when the fail safe operating is continuing, or the engine is beingstarted or the time preset with the delay timer has not expired as yetafter the start of the engine, or the engine warm-up is stillcontinuing, or the vehicle is parked or running at a slow speed, asstated previously herein, the program is advanced to go from step-1through step-3 or step-5 through step-6 to the step-27 to give aninstruction to close the electromagnetic valve 19, and further to gofrom the step-27 to the step-21, step-23 and step-25 in that order. Whenthe automatic transmission is in the N or P position, the program isadvanced from the step-8 to the step-28 in which whether or not theTi_(H) map has been selected previously is determined. Then, when Ne isfound to be smaller than Ne₁, the program is advanced from the step-9 tothe step-29 at which a like determination or discrimination as made atthe step-28 is carried out. If it is found that the Ti_(H) map has beenselected previously, the program is advanced from step-28 and step-29 tothe step-15. If the Ti_(H) map has not been selected previously for use,that is, when the changeover mechanism 1 3 of each of the cylinders hasnot been set to the high-speed valve timing mode of operation, theprogram advances in order of step-27, step-21, step-23 and step-25 as inthe foregoing so that the fuel injection may be controlled for thelow-speed valve timing irrespective of the hydraulic switch 20. This isa countermeasure designed to deal with the hydraulic switch in case theswitch 20 should remain turned off due to a malfunction, such as a breakin its wiring.

More specifically, N_(HFC1) is set higher than Ne₂. Thus, normally, thevalve timing is changed over to the high-speed valve timing before Nehas increased to N_(HFC1), causing the N_(HFC1) to be changed over toN_(HFC2). Therefore, there is no fuel cut effected at N_(HFC1). In theoperating condition in which the program is advanced to go from thestep-1 through step-8 to the step-27, however, the low-speed valvetiming is retained even when Ne exceeds Ne₂ due to engine racing or thelike so that a fuel cut is effected at N_(HFC1). Further, this fuel cutat N_(HFC1) goes on until t_(HVT) becomes zero (0), that is, until thechangeover mechanism 13 is actually set to the high-speed valve timingmode of operation, even after the low-speed valve timing has beenchanged over to the high-speed valve timing.

In the subroutine for retrieval of the Ti_(L) map and the Ti_(H) map atthe step-10, whether or not an instruction to open the electromagneticvalve 19 has been previously given, is determined as indicated in FIG.8. When it is found that the instruction to open the valve has not beengiven, the Ti_(L) value to be used at the step-14 is taken as Ti₁ valueretrieved from the Ti_(L) map. When the instruction to open the valvehas been given, a process to subtract a predetermined amount ofhysteresis ΔTi from the retrieved Ti_(L) value is performed for usingthe balance as the Ti_(L) and the changeover characteristic in Y regionin FIG. 6 is then provided with the hysteresis.

Also in the subroutine for calculation of T_(VT) at the step-11, asshown in FIG. 9, whether or not the instruction to open theelectromagnetic valve 19 has been given previously is determined. Whenthe instruction to open the valve has not been given, the T_(VT) to beused at the step-12 is one calculated from the T_(VT) table. When theinstruction to open the valve has been given, a process to subtract apredetermined amount of hysteresis ΔT_(VT) from the calculated value isperformed for using the balance as the T_(VT), and the changeovercharacteristic in X region in FIG. 6 is then provided with thehysteresis.

While the invention has been described in connection with a specificembodiment of an engine wherein the operating mechanism is capable ofselective operation for two different engine speeds, namely, high-speedand low-speed, it is to be understood that the invention is equallyapplicable engine valve operating mechanisms capable of selectiveoperation for more than two speeds and therefore "high-speed" and"low-speed" as used throughout the application, including the claims,shall mean any two different speeds between which a changeover may bemade.

Furthermore, signals from the hydraulic switch 20 are used to determinewhether the valve timing has been changed over normally. When anyirregularity or abnormality occurs the valve timing changeover, afail-safe operation such as an alarm, fuel reduction, suspension of thevalve timing changeover control or the like is carried out. Thesubroutine for this fail-safe control operation is as shown in FIG. 10and performed as follows. First, at a step-1, it is determined whetheror not the, instruction given to the electromagnetic valve 19 at one ofstep-15, step-16 or step-17 in FIG. 7 is one instructing said valve 19to open (that is, a command for a changeover to the high-speed valvetiming). When the instruction is found to be an instruction to open thevalve, the subroutine is advanced to step-2 or FIG. 10 to determinewhether or not the hydraulic switch 20 is turned off. When the oilpressure is high (indicating the high-speed valve timing condition) andthe hydraulic switch 20 is off, the subroutine is then advanced to thestep-3 in which the remainder time t for the delay timer built into theelectronic control circuit 7 is set to a predetermined time (forexample, 0.4 seconds), thereby completing one round of the processing.When an instruction to close the valve (that is, a command for thelow-speed valve timing) has been given, the subroutine program of FIG.10 is advanced from the step-1 to the step-4 to determine whether or notthe hydraulic switch 20 is on. When the oil pressure is low (indicatingthe low-speed valve timing condition) and the hydraulic switch 20 is on,the program is advanced to the step-5 to set the remainder time t to apredetermined time in like manner as mentioned above, thereby completingone round of the processing. The delay timer is automatically set to theinitial setting when the ignition switch is turned on.

Now, assuming a condition wherein an instruction given out to theelectromagnetic valve 19 is changed. At the initial moments followingthe instruction change, the hydraulic switch 20 still remains set in thecondition existing prior to the changeover instruction due to a delay inthe change of the oil pressure. Therefore, when the instruction ischanged to one to open the valve, the program is advanced from thestep-2 to the step-6 in FIG. 10, and when the instruction is changed toone to close the valve, the program is advanced to go from the step-4 tothe step-6 and one round of the processing is then completed withoutdoing anything until the remainder timer t for the delay timer isreduced to 0. When the remainder time t becomes 0, that is, when thehydraulic switch 20 is still retained in the position set prior to thechangeover instruction even after the predetermined time starting fromthe outset of the changeover instruction has expired (which therebyincludes an irregularity such as the valve 19 being stuck or clogged),the program is then advanced from the step-6 to the step-7 to indicate avalve timing changeover irregularity with an alarm or the like, andfurther, the program is advanced to the step-8 to execute controls suchas a fuel reduction and others for the fail-safe purpose.

It is desirable to execute the fail-safe operation as soon as possiblewhen a valve timing changeover irregularity occurs. In this example ofthe present invention, therefore, the hydraulic switch 20 is integrallybuilt into the changeover valve 16 so that the hydraulic switch 20 maybe turned on and off quickly by the operation of the changeover valve16. This enables the predetermined time for the delay timer to bereduced to the shortest possible time.

As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, whena valve timing changeover irregularity occurs due to a malfunction ofthe valve means or an oil leakage, such an irregularity is accuratelydetermined and dealt with properly by taking necessary fail-safecountermeasures. Another advantage of the present invention is that theoil pressure detecting means is a conventional hydraulic switch, whichis inexpensive for detecting and determining said changeoverirregularity.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for detecting an irregularity in avalve-timing changeover system of a variable valve-timing engine, saidchangeover system comprising a hydraulically operated changeovermechanism for changing over the valve timing for at least one of eitherthe intake valves or the exhaust valves in the engine, a changeovervalve provided in an oil supplying passage for supplying oil to thechangeover mechanism, a control valve provided in an oil passage foroperating the changeover valve, and a control means employed to output avalve timing changeover instruction for operating the changeover valvethrough the control valve according to the operation condition of theengine, said method comprising steps of:detecting oil pressure in adownstream portion of the changeover valve in the oil supplying passage,comparing the valve-timing changeover instruction given by the controlmeans and the detected oil pressure, determining through said comparisonan irregularity in operation of the changeover valve.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, including the step of delaying said oil pressure detecting stepfor a predetermined time period after the valve-timing changeoverinstruction for making said comparison after said predetermined timeperiod.
 3. The method of claim 1, including the step of providing analarm when an irregularity in operation of the changeover valve isdetermined.
 4. A method for detecting an irregularity in a valve-timingchangeover system of a variable valve-timing engine, said changeoversystem comprising a hydraulically operated changeover mechanism forchanging over the valve timing for at least one of either the intakevalves or the exhaust valves in the engine, a changeover valve providedin an oil supplying passage for supplying oil to the changeovermechanism, a control valve provided in an oil passage for operating thechangeover valve, and a control means employed to output a valve timingchangeover instruction for operating the changeover valve through thecontrol valve according to the operation condition of the engine, saidmethod comprising steps of:detecting oil pressure in a downstreamportion of the changeover valve in the oil supplying passage,determining whether the detected oil pressure has changed in compliancewith the valve-timing changeover instruction given by the control means;and performing a fail-safe operation with respect to an irregularity inoperation of the changeover valve determined when the detected oilpressure has not changed to one corresponding to the instruction afterexpiration of a predetermined or preset time.